We are always mesmerized when we see performances done at the highest level. It gives us a picture of what is possible and gives us something to aspire to. And this past week we were reminded of what competitive excellence and peak performance looks like.
As a result, the following are seven questions leaders are currently asking about peak performance:
Jalen Brunson
On April 11, the New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics 118-109. Though it appears the victory was only nine points, it was a dominant performance by the Knicks as they led by as much as 31 points in the second half.
The team’s superstar Jalen Brunson did not even play in the fourth quarter. However, he still had 39 points. It has been quite a run for Brunson. He has averaged 38.5 pointes per game over the previous eight games and is on the shortlist of Most Valuable Player candidates.
The Athletic’s Fred Katz made an interesting statement in this article, “The greatest mark of a ‘special’ player isn’t his statistics over a two-week heater. It’s the way elite competition approaches that player and how he responds. And in that sense, Brunson is reaching a stratosphere to which few rise.”
The Celtics threw a variety of defenders, defenses, traps, full and half-court defenses and other exotic defenses at Brunson but still could not stop him. That is what makes him special.
Leaders, do you still have peak performance when your competition is doing everything they can to prevent your success?
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler is the world’s top-ranked golfer and the leader of The Master’s tournament as I write this article. The following statement was made about Scheffler in a recent edition of The Pulse from The Athletic:
“Scheffler is reaching a tier of greatness we haven’t seen in roughly a decade, but at the end of the day, he has just one major so far to show for it. Can he prove he’s truly this era’s superstar?”
Leaders, how do you perform on the biggest stages? That is ultimately what defines your level of performance. After three days of this year’s Masters tournament, Scheffler is performing at a high level.
Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool midfielder
Alexis Mac Allister is a superstar midfielder on the Liverpool soccer club. Recently, the team’s manager Jurgen Klopp said the following, “Alexis is exactly the player I hoped he would be: super-influential, super-smart, great guy — loves playing for Liverpool as well, which is really important.”
Klopp goes on to add, “He’s a rhythm-giver, a difference-maker, he can control moments of the game. Always there, always involved; nothing is too much for him. He’s really a top, top, top player. But we had that sense when we signed him and he fulfilled all our expectations… and more.”
From his comments, we learn the following five characteristics of peak performers:
- They are influential.
- They have high mental intelligence.
- They also have a high level of emotional intelligence.
- They love what they do.
- They have self-control and can therefore, control situations.
Leaders, do you have these five qualities?
Harvey Elliott – Liverpool
Another talented Liverpool player is Harvey Elliott but he does not get the recognition that some of his famous teammates do. As mentioned in this article from The Athletic, it is because of his age. At 21-years-old, he is often overlooked or easily dismissed.
The apostle Paul wrote to a young Timothy, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV)
Leaders, are you overlooking or dismissing quality people in your organization because of their age and experience?
Auston Matthews
One young leader no one is overlooking is Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthew. Headed towards his third Rocket Richard Trophy is the league’s Most Valuable Player, he has become only the 13th player in NHL history to score 65 goals in a season. In fact, through April 11th he has scored 68 times.
Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said, “He loves to score goals, but he’s not putting that ahead of the team. He’s going about it the right way. He’s trusting that his ability is gonna shine through in the end and he’s gonna be able to score.”
Matthews stated in this The Athletic article, “It’s obviously nice to hear those things. But our season’s not done yet. Obviously, we’re trying to build toward the postseason, so that’s our main focus. These kinds of things are nice to reflect on for a while, but there’s a bigger goal in mind and so that’s where my head is at.”
Leaders, regardless of your current level of performance, are you putting the team and organization’s goals ahead of your own?
Bryce Harper
One player who was having poor performance was Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies. He had not had a hit in his first 11 at-bats of the season. But you can only suppress greatness for so long.
Then on April 9, Harper hit three home runs against the Cincinnati Reds in a 9-4 win. Afterward, the team’s manager Rob Thomson said in this The Athletic article, “That’s what the great players do. They have big nights like that. And we needed it. That grand slam, everybody could exhale a little bit. And that was huge.”
Teammate Bryson Stott added, “I think everyone kind of … you don’t want to say expect it, obviously, because that’s insane,” Stott said. “But it’s not a surprise when something crazy does happen. So he’s pretty special.”
Leaders, are you having a dip in your usual high performance? If so, trust your talent. You can only suppress greatness for so long.
For more on the leadership of Bryce Harper, click 5 Leadership Lessons I Gleaned Last Week from Vertigo, Taylor Swift, Bryce Harper, Denzel Washington and Ryan Leak.
To watch those three home runs, click the video below:
Alex Bregman
Finally, let’s take a look at Houston Astros star third baseman Alex Bregman. Bregman, who began playing in the majors at age 21, will soon to be a free agent. Even after eight wonderful seasons, he is still doing everything possible to take his performance to an even higher level.
Bregman said in this article from The Athletic, “I just really enjoyed this offseason — the training, the hitting. I enjoyed it so much that I’m as obsessed as I was when I was 13 years old working toward getting to the big leagues. There’s still something inside me that’s just burning — wanting to improve, wanting to get better… I felt like I got re-super-obsessed with everything.”
Leaders, are you (still) obsessed with self-improvement?
Conclusion
The following are seven questions leaders are currently asking about peak performance:
- Do you still have peak performance when your competition is doing everything they can to prevent your success?
- How do you perform on the biggest stages?
- Do you have influence, mental and emotional intelligence, passion, and self-control?
- Are you dismissing people because of their age and experience?
- Are you putting the team and organization’s goals ahead of your own?
- Are you trusting your skill during a current dip in performance?
- Are you still obsessed with self-improvement?
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